§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the risks his Department considers for assessment purposes with respect to applications for the release of genetically modified organisms for(a) field-testing and (b) marketing. [16198]
§ Angela EagleThe potential hazards and risks considered for field testing and marketing of genetically modified organisms are as follows: capacity to survive, establish and disseminate; potential for gene transfer; products of expression of inserted genes; phenotypic and genotypic stability; pathogenicity to other organisms; and, potential for any other effects including non-target effects. In accordance with the advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment detailed information on the risk assessment has been published by the Department as DOE/ACRE Guidance Notes and these have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his Department's policy to differentiate between risk assessment and hazard assessment with respect to the interaction of genetically modified organisms with their environment. [16155]
§ Angela EagleAn assessment of the potential hazards is an integral part of the risk assessment with respect to the interaction of genetically modified organisms with their environment. This approach to the risk assessment is in accordance with the advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. Detailed guidance on the risk assessment has been published by the Department as DOE/ACRE Guidance Notes and placed in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what(a) risk and (b) hazard assessments have been (i) performed and 8W (ii) evaluated by his Department with respect to genetically modified soya that has been treated with glyphosate-based herbicide. [16149]
§ Angela EagleThe hazard and risk assessment performed by Monsanto Europe for their consent application to market soya beans genetically modified for tolerance to glyphosate-based herbicide has been evaluated by the Department and the statutory Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment. The application was then forwarded to other European Member States for evaluation and following their agreement, the Department granted a consent on 7 May 1996 for import, storage and processing of the genetically modified soya beans. The procedure followed to assess this application was in accordance with the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what safeguards exist to prevent the horizontal gene transfer of patented genes from genetically modified crops to certified organic crops. [16151]
§ Angela EagleThe frequency of horizontal transfer of any genes of genetically modified crops to certified organic crops is very low and no formal safeguards exist to prevent this occurring with respect to the release of genetically modified crops. Where gene transfer between compatible species (vertical transfer) is feasible, consent conditions (including isolation distances) can be imposed to minimise undesirable effects.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements exist to monitor the horizontal transfer of patented genes to wild species. [16153]
§ Angela EagleThe frequency of horizontal transfer of any genes to wild species is very low and no formal arrangement exists to monitor this with respect to the release of genetically modified organisms.